Vehicle seating assembly with ventilated cooling

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes an air mover within a seatback. First and second inlet channels extend from an occupant seatback surface and a seatback lower portion, respectively, to the air mover. The air mover includes first and second outlet channels, and the air mover selectively and alternatively moves air from at least one of the first inlet channel to one of the first and second outlet channels or the second inlet channel to the first outlet channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle seat comprising:
 an air mover within a seatback; and 
 first and second inlet channels extending from an occupant seatback surface and a seatback lower portion, respectively, to the air mover, having first and second outlet channels, wherein the air mover selectively and alternatively moves air from at least one of the first inlet channel to one of the first and second outlet channels, or the second inlet channel to the first outlet channel, wherein the first outlet channel of the air mover is selectively operable to exhaust air to a vent disposed on a rearward facing seatback surface and the second outlet channel of the air mover is selectively operable to exhaust air into a seatback interior. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle seat of  claim 1 , further comprising a first airflow adjuster for selectively blocking airflow from the first inlet channel to the air mover and a third airflow adjuster for selectively blocking airflow from the second inlet channel to the air mover. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle seat of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a second airflow adjuster proximate the air mover, wherein the second airflow adjuster is selectively positionable to block the first outlet channel. 
 
     
     
       4. The vehicle seat of  claim 3 , further comprising a fourth airflow adjuster proximate the air mover wherein the fourth airflow adjuster is selectively positionable to block the second outlet channel. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle seat of  claim 4 , wherein a first end of the first outlet channel is coupled to the air mover and a second end of the first outlet channel is coupled to the vent. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle seat of  claim 5 , wherein the first inlet channel comprises a plurality of tubes extending from the occupant seatback surface to the air mover. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle seat of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a perforated trim disposed over the occupant seatback surface. 
 
     
     
       8. The vehicle seat of  claim 7 , wherein the air mover draws air through the perforated trim, through the plurality of tubes, and to the air mover. 
     
     
       9. The vehicle seat of  claim 1 , wherein the vent disposed on the rearward facing seatback surface is selectively positionable in an open position, a closed position, and a plurality of positions between an open position and a closed position. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle seat of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 an actuator; and 
 a controller, wherein the controller is in communication with the actuator, the air mover, the first airflow adjuster, the second airflow adjuster, the third airflow adjuster, and the fourth airflow adjuster, and wherein the controller is configured to: 
 provide an activation to the third airflow adjuster to block the second inlet channel to draw air from the occupant seatback surface towards the air mover through the first inlet channel in response to a first input from the actuator; 
 provide an activation to the first airflow adjuster to block the first inlet channel to draw air from the seatback bottom surface towards the air mover through the second inlet channel in response to a second input from the actuator; 
 provide an activation to the fourth airflow adjuster to block the second outlet channel to move air from the air mover towards the vent disposed on the rearward facing seatback surface through the first outlet channel in response to a third input from the actuator; and 
 provide an activation to the second airflow adjuster to block the first outlet channel to move air from the air mover through the second outlet channel into the seat interior in response to a fourth input from the actuator. 
 
     
     
       11. The vehicle seat of  claim 10 , wherein the actuator includes an occupant actuator and a passenger actuator and wherein the occupant actuator is configured to override the passenger actuator. 
     
     
       12. A vehicle seating assembly comprising:
 a seatback including an occupant supporting surface and a rearward facing surface; 
 an air mover disposed in the seatback; and 
 an inlet channel extending from the occupant supporting surface to the air mover and an outlet channel extending from the air mover to the rearward facing surface, wherein the air mover selectively moves air from the occupant supporting surface through a vent disposed on the rearward facing surface, and further comprising 
 a selectively operable outlet on the air mover for releasing air into a seatback interior. 
 
     
     
       13. The vehicle seating assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the seatback comprises a bottom surface and wherein a selectively operable inlet duct extends from an inlet port disposed on the bottom surface to the air mover. 
     
     
       14. The vehicle seating assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the air mover includes a butterfly valve. 
     
     
       15. The vehicle seating assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the selectively operable outlet includes a butterfly valve. 
     
     
       16. A seating assembly comprising:
 a seatback comprising:
 an occupant supporting surface, 
 a rearward facing surface, 
 a bottom surface, and 
 an interior space having an air mover; 
 
 a first inlet channel for moving air from the occupant supporting surface to the air mover; 
 a second inlet channel for moving air from the bottom surface to the air mover; 
 a first outlet channel for moving air from the air mover to the rearward facing surface; 
 a second outlet channel for releasing air from the air mover into the interior space; and 
 a controller configured to selectively and alternatively activate the first inlet channel and the second inlet channel, and wherein the controller is further configured to selectively and alternatively actuate the first and second outlet channels. 
 
     
     
       17. The seating assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate the first inlet channel, the air mover, and the first outlet channel. 
     
     
       18. The seating assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate the first inlet channel, the air mover, and the second outlet channel. 
     
     
       19. The seating assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate the second inlet channel, the air mover, and the first outlet channel. 
     
     
       20. The seating assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate the second inlet channel, the air mover, and the second outlet channel.